More than just a buzzword, we see sustainability as a way of life that espouses economic prosperity, environmental stewardship, and social equity; it's about, as the United Nations Brundtland Commission has said, “meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”
This Roadmap document was designed for, and with the input of, the entire Columbia College community. The initial project team consisted of the year-old Sustainability Task Force (STF), comprised of over 30 members of the campus community, and the consulting team of TerraLocke and Sustainametics. Eight “green teams” were formed from the STF members and augmented with over 25 additional staff and faculty from all areas of the college. Each team then drafted its own goals and initiatives based on campus-wide research and self-assessment. Each team's vision contributes to Columbia's strategic plan as well as its overall vision of a sustainable future.
Columbia College Chicago seeks to use sustainability to better position students and the college to meet the emerging challenges and opportunities in the 21st Century. This includes a holistic commitment to environmental responsibility, social equity, and economic vitality. The college commits to integrate educational excellence, operational efficiency, and community responsibility in an ongoing search for a better global future. In addressing the climate challenge by reducing global warming emissions and by integrating sustainability into the academic and social experience, the College will educate students who will communicate creatively, shape the public's perceptions of issues and events, and author the culture of their times.
Dedicated leadership is critically important to the successful implementation of the Roadmap. An Office of Sustainability and a full-time director of that office would provide the administrative coordination and leadership for campus-wide programs. The Office’s primary function would be to link formally with all of the administrative units that oversee campus academic and operational functions. Ideally the Office of Sustainability would work closely with the Sustainability Task Force and Green Teams to coordinate efforts. Although the trend towards dedicated sustainability staff is decidedly new, even with national unemployment rates near 10 percent, the demand for sustainability staff in higher education continues to grow.